Meet the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Baseball Team for the 2024 season
The Mississippi Coast is nothing if not loaded in prep baseball talent. The 2024 season didn’t disappoint, with the region bringing home two state championships.
George County and Vancleave captured the 6A and 5A crowns, respectively, and are well represented in this year’s All-South Mississippi team.
Rebel coach Brandon Davis is our Coach of the Year, Vancleave’s Tyler West is the fan’s choice Player of the Year and Gulfport’s Ethan Surowiec is the Sun Herald Player of the Year.
Coach of the Year
Brandon Davis, George County
Few could argue it felt like fate. The Rebels made history this season, winning their first state championship since 1997 out of Class 6A. The series-clinching win over Warren Central was Davis’ 400th career victory and his second championship with the program after playing on the ‘97 team.
George County led the Coast in wins in 2024 and lost just five times. The Rebels were particularly resilient in the postseason, facing elimination twice against West Jones and Pearl River Central before winning both series.
Player of the Year
Ethan Surowiec, Gulfport
Surowiec led the Coast in OPS at 1.412 while playing in the highest classification. The Ole Miss signee drove in 37 runs, doubling 10 times and hitting nine home runs — good for second-most on the Coast.
The graduated senior recorded 69 RBIs over his final two seasons.
Fan’s choice Player of the Year
Tyler West, Vancleave
West had a dominant season both at the plate and on the mound. The senior struck out 87 batters from the rubber and had a career-high slash-line at the plate.
West earned over 18,000 votes in the fan’s choice poll, good for 41 percent. George County’s Andrew Nielson finished in second with 27 percent of the vote.
Underclassman of the Year
Jaxson Knight, Hancock
Knight led the Coast in doubles with 15 out of 31 total hits during his sophomore season. He led the Hawks with a .403 batting average and a 1.113 OPS. Knight also pitched 19 innings, striking out 15 batters and holding a 3.68 ERA.
In one game against Long Beach, Knight doubled three times and drove in three runs in a 7-1 win.
Sun Herald Starting Nine
These were South Mississippi’s best players, regardless of position.
Ethan Surowiec, Gulfport: Surowiec put together a .398 batting average and led the Coast with an .875 slugging percentage.
Nico Williams, Gulfport: Williams struck out 78 batters and worked a 1.57 ERA from the mound. Also contributed with 27 RBIs at the plate.
Tyler West, Vancleave: The 5A state title series MVP worked a 0.90 ERA from the mound and picked up 35 hits at the plate with an .824 OPS.
Jack Jordan, Ocean Springs: Jordan picked up 30 hits at the plate with 21 RBIs while striking out 63 batters in 63 innings with a 2.22 ERA.
Logan Fontenelle, Biloxi: Fontenelle OPS’d .973 while stealing 21 bases. He also pitched a 1.86 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 60.1 innings.
Andrew Nielson, George County: Nielson was lights out from the rubber, posting a 0.76 ERA over 74 innings with 70 strikeouts.
Trace Tingle, Resurrection: Tingle racked up 43 hits inside the box with 33 RBIs. He also pitched to a perfect 10-0 record with 115 strikeouts over 62 innings of 0.79 ERA ball.
Emile Pace, Poplarville: Pace had 41 hits, 16 extra base hits and a 1.300 OPS. He also threw 65 innings of 3.34 ERA ball with 91 strikeouts.
Connor Dyess, Pearl River Central: Dyess struck out 45 batters and worked a 1.16 ERA while also contributing with 32 hits and 18 RBIs.
All-South Mississippi Team
Walker Seymour, Bay High: Seymour put together a 1.53 ERA on his way to earning district MVP.
Maddux Mayo, Bay High: Mayo batted .365 with 28 runs, 21 RBIs and 28 stolen bases.
Will Miles, Biloxi: Miles pitched 65 innings of 1.83 ERA baseball, striking out 62 batters in the process.
Nate Trochessett, East Central: Trochessett picked up 31 hits, drove in 31 runs and put together a .954 OPS.
Anthony Tanner, East Central: Tanner led the Hornets in hits with 34, doubles with 11 and in OPS at 1.017. He also threw 30.2 innings, striking out 53 and posting a 2.74 ERA.
Jaxon Cripps, East Central: Cripps tallied 30 hits in his first season in the starting lineup with eight doubles and an .854 OPS.
Payton McLean, East Central: McLean had 28 hits, 18 runs driven in and put up and OPS of .870 as a senior.
Tripp Lightsey, George County: Lightsey led the Rebels with 46 hits and 11 doubles, driving in 30 runs and posting a 1.053 OPS.
Ben Davis, George County: Davis picked up 40 hits, four home runs and 29 RBIs with a 1.053 OPS while also leading the team with 17 stolen bases.
Blane Green, George County: Green had 38 hits, batted .333 and put together an OPS of .824
Canyon Reeves, George County: Reeves struck out 64 batters in 55.1 innings while posting a 0.63 ERA.
Preston McAdory, George County: McAdory threw 53 innings of 1.19 ERA baseball with 79 strikeouts.
Cayler Havard, George County: Havard hit safely 36 times as a sophomore, driving in 30 runs with a .926 OPS.
Gage Reeves, George County: Reeves had 36 hits with four home runs and 24 RBIs while batting .343.
Alex Wade, George County: The senior registered 34 hits and 11 stolen bases while putting together an .874 OPS.
Joel Smith, Gulfport: Smith struck out 57 batters, holding opponents to a .177 batting average while working a 2.00 ERA.
Ethan Garner, Gulfport: Garner batted .333 with a .904 OPS and drove in 18 runs as a senior.
Davis Ormes, Gulfport: Ormes put together a .915 OPS with four home runs and 33 runs driven in.
Matthew Cuevas, Hancock: Cuevas threw 53.1 innings from the mound with 49 strikeouts and a 3.68 ERA.
Tri Gaughf, Harrison Central: The two-way star drove in 24 runs on 26 hits while striking out 52 batters in 45.2 innings.
Simon Kruppa, Ocean Springs: Kruppa led the Greyhounds with 33 hits and in runs scored with 26 as a senior.
Chris Fox, Ocean Springs: The senior led his team with 12 stolen bases, walks with 21 and in OPS at 1.034 with 30 hits and 16 RBIs.
Maddox Moreland, Ocean Springs: Moreland picked up 25 hits, drove in 25 runners and OPS’d .819 while striking out 14 batters in 11 innings.
Will Blevins, Ocean Springs: Blevins pitched 43 innings, striking out 48 batters and working a 2.12 ERA.
Brendan Necaise, Pass Christian: The Pearl River C.C. commit struck 76 batters to only 11 walks in just 46 innings.
JJ Morreale, Pearl River Central: Morreale led the Blue Devils in hits with 33 as a freshman with 25 runs driven in. He also struck out 24 batters from the mound in 24.1 innings with a 2.88 ERA.
Isaias Ryan, Pearl River Central: Ryan recorded 29 hits, led PRC with 27 RBIs and struck out 23 batters with a 1.44 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched.
Jacob Johnson, Pearl River Central: Johnson picked up 28 hits, 22 RBIs, doubled eight times and OPS’d .806.
Roman Mitchell, Pearl River Central: Mitchell struck out 45 batters in 47 innings with a 2.09 ERA. Pitched a 12-K no-hitter against Jim Hill.
Kyler King, Picayune: King hit .398 from the plate, stole 20 bases and set the program record for career SBs with 60. King also pitched to a 2.31 ERA on the mound.
Landon Watts, Picayune: Watts recorded 27 hits and drove in 21 runs while putting together a .333 batting average.
Morgan Craft, Picayune: Craft picked up 27 hits, seven doubles and 21 RBIs while batting .307.
Tanner Busby, Picayune: The PRCC commit struck out 101 batters in 69 innings while working a 1.01 ERA.
Brock Sheppard, Poplarville: Sheppard led the Hornets with 42 hits and 37 RBIs. He recorded 14 extra base hits and stole 15 bases while putting together a 1.228 OPS.
Ty Keys, Poplarville: Keys had an explosive freshman season, picking up 33 hits and leading the Coast with 25 stolen bases.
Preston Smith, Poplarville: Smith had 25 hits, drove in 20 runs and stole 13 bases with an .845 OPS.
Braden Babiowski, Poplarville: Babiowski drove in 26 runs on 20 hits — 10 of which went for extra bases. He also struck out 48 batters from the mound.
Haydn Porter, Resurrection: Porter led the Coast in hits with 49 and in RBIs with 40. He picked up 17 extra base hits and OPS’d 1.280. Porter also struck out 47 batters with a 2.75 ERA in 28 innings.
Luke Schnoor, Resurrection: Schnoor recorded 44 hits, making the Eagles the only Coast team with three players over 40 total hits. He drove in 37 runs and had a 1.047 OPS. Schnoor also struck out 33 batters in 21 innings.
Justin San Miguel, Resurrection: San Miguel mashed a Coast-high 11 home runs as part of a 33-hit, 36-RBI season. He also led the Coast with a .578 OBP behind a team-high 42 walks and put together a 1.398 OPS.
Carter McCammon, Resurrection: McCammon picked up 32 hits and drove in 27 runs off 13 extra base hits. He also pitched 64 innings, striking out 54 batters and working a 1.53 ERA.
Noah Jenner, St. Martin: Jenner picked up 26 hits, batted .389 and posted an .865 OPS.
Caleb Lawrence, St. Martin: Lawrence had 26 hits and a .313 batting average. He also struck out 29 batters in 31 innings.
Ayden Le, St. Patrick: Le led the Fighting Irish with 34 hits on a .378 batting average while driving in 14 runs.
Wiley Mossy, St. Stanislaus: Mossy led the Rock-a-Chaws with 30 hits while batting .333 as a sophomore.
Jeremy Mares, St. Stanislaus: Mares had 28 hits, 22 RBIs while leading the Rocks with a .350 batting average. Also struck out 47 batters from the mound with a 3.97 ERA.
Brady Wallis, St. Stanislaus: Wallis had 25 hits and picked up 27 RBIs at the plate and pitched a 3.45 ERA with 62 strikeouts.
Chesley Rhodes, St. Stanislaus: Rhodes picked up 22 hits, drove in 22 runs and had a .569 OBP to go along with a 1.096 OPS.
Braxton Jones, Stone: Jones led the Tomcats with 30 hits, batting .341 with an .807 OPS.
Willie Breland, Stone: Breland picked up 28 hits and drove in 18 runs. He hit three triples and stole 10 bases while posting a .966.
Anderson Hickman, Stone: Hickman pitched 46.1 innings with 57 strikeouts and a 2.87 ERA. Also contributed with 10 hits and nine RBIs.
Hunter Parker, Vancleave: Parker led the Bulldogs with 38 hits and 14 stolen bases. He also threw 67 innings, striking out 67 batters and worked a 2.10 ERA.
Martin Shaw, Vancleave: Shaw had 37 hits, 28 RBIs and eight doubles while posting a .964 OPS.
Asher Henley, Vancleave: Henley recorded 36 hits, drove in 19 runs and registered a .943 OPS.
Hunter Harper, Vancleave: The junior picked up 31 hits, led his team with 33 RBIs and 13 doubles while recording a .989 OPS.
Aidan Tapp, Vancleave: Tapp picked up 30 hits, drove in 21 runs and worked a .326 batting average.
Layton Eder, Vancleave: The senior Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. commit had 30 hits and drove in 31 runs while working an .892 OPS.
Reece Parker, West Harrison: Parker led the Hurricanes with 36 hits and drove in 20 runs on eight doubles. He also pitched 38 innings, cutting down 30 batters and posting a 3.68 ERA.
Landen Wallace, West Harrison: Wallace had 35 hits with a 1.004 OPS from the plate and 51 strikeouts with a 3.32 ERA off the mound.
Hunter Ross, West Harrison: Ross had 23 hits, 19 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He also struck out 83 batters in 62.2 innings pitched.
Honorable mention
Tristain Haynes, Biloxi; Connor Lofton, Biloxi; Will Parker, Biloxi; Robbie Hokamp, Biloxi; Caleb West, D’Iberville; Christian McFaul, East Central; Matthew Combs, East Central; Brody Long, East Central; Peyton Youngblood, East Central; Prince Cottonham, Gulfport; Thomas Stennis, Gulfport; Brandon Arcement, Hancock; Hunter Kuhn, Hancock; Trenton Bond, Harrison Central; Zachary Dorley, Harrison Central; Jayden Taylor, Harrison Central; Cannon Hensarling, Ocean Springs; Sam Tuminello, Pearl River Central; Blake Gill, Pearl River Central; Brayden Lee, Pearl River Central; Kendall Morrison, Pearl River Central, Riley Wilson, Pearl River Central; Michael Decoteau, Resurrection; Lake Fincher, St. Martin; River Groue, St. Martin; Sam Pike, St. Stanislaus; Connor Tice, Stone; Hunter Parker, Stone; Levi Tapp, Vancleave; Maddox Jackson, West Harrison; Tyler Gazzier, West Harrison
Missing someone? Send nominations with season stats to swatkins@sunherald.com.
This story was originally published June 16, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
